The Crimson Prince Awakening - v3 Chapter 67

Bianca

Looking over the kingdom of Ebonhart from a guest suite balcony in the castle, Bianca thought back to the times she had thought of the whole continent as a curse. She had such hatred towards Crystallia and her people for taking Will away from her.

Even looking back to the moment when she walked through the portal back to her world was a painful reminder of how selfish she was. She had turned her back to an entire civilization just because her boyfriend wouldn’t go home with her.

“You look pensive.” A voice said from behind Bianca followed by two bȧrė arms circling her waist. “Anything eventful going on in there?” Roy brushed her hair from her neck and planted a kiss.

“I was just thinking that you should take it easy with that arm.” Bianca said with a smile as she turned to face Roy, taking care to stay within his hold. “The outside might be healed now, but try not to move it around too much or you’ll tear the muscle open.” She traced her finger over the bullet hole just below his shoulder.

“I know you’ve been worried about more than just this small wound.” Roy said with a playful smile, it didn’t fool Bianca. His smile was warm and kind, yet his eyes were full of concern.

“I’m fine, Roy.” She said as she ducked under his arms. “It’s been a long week, I’m just tired.” She wasn’t exactly lying. Within a week, she had saved Roy from bleeding out in the streets of New York and regained an aura that was completely different from the one she had before. She had returned to a civilization that she had abandoned and had her ex boyfriend channel power that wasn’t exactly his through her to defeat his brother-not brother.

“All that is over now,” Roy said confidently. “We can relax a little now, maybe I can show you the kingdom.” He scratched his head nervously, obviously remembering when she had left the first time. “It’s not all that bad when you get used to it.”

“Is it?” Bianca looked into Roy’s eyes.

“Is it what?”

“Over?” She looked skeptically at him. “How can you be sure there isn’t more to follow?”

“I can’t be sure.” Roy said simply. “But I’m not going to live every moment waiting to be proved wrong.” He grabbed one of Bianca’s delicate hands in his and massaged it lightly. “I have good company,” he took his gaze from her eyes and set it out at the kingdom. “There’s good food down there, and I’ve got a decent amount of gold from my patrols in New York. I’d like to treat you to some fine food from the city.”

Bianca rolled her eyes. “It was the patrol that got you shot in the first place.” She said as she re-traced the bullet hole under her fingers. “How could Michael have set up your little group without telling you the dangers of our world?” Obviously annoyed at Will’s uncle for his lack of caution.

“We are still new to your world, but we are learning every time we go for our patrols.” He said as if the bullet hole in his arm wasn’t a big deal. “Now I know what a gun is,” he smirked. “And that I don’t want to get shot again, that’s progress right?”

Dumbfounded, Bianca didn’t know whether to laugh or slap the innocence off Roy’s face. Though, she couldn’t deny that his boyish charm had grown on her.

“The reward outweighs the risk, Bianca.” Roy’s childlike smile faded as he stared out at the city. “I have a purpose beyond farming now, and I feel like part of a family.” She could tell he was thinking about the life he had left behind when Will and Maya blew into town. “I have a gift that I can use to protect people.” He allowed his aura to form a crimson flame within the palm of his hand. “Every day has been like a dream. I have a great purpose, I get paid to do something I’ve wanted to do my whole life.”

Bianca stared at the flame for a moment. The crimson aura was not unlike the one she had when she had first gained her power. That flame was filled with resentment and obsession when she wielded it, yet the night she stumbled upon Roy, he had been using it to protect a random stranger.

The moment he was shot trying to get a purse back to a random stranger, she knew how wrong she had been about Crystallia. Roy had done the exact opposite of what she would have done in his position, she had more than proved it by walking out on the entire kingdom of Ebonhart knowing full well that hundreds if not thousands would die just because she felt that Will was only meant to be a part of her life. She was willing to sacrifice thousands just to have a normal life.

When Roy took a bullet to the shoulder, he collapsed. She had every opportunity to turn away and walk to the airport, yet she stayed and did everything she could to save his life. That contradiction to her own personality was enough to reignite the flames deep within her soul, yet not the same as before. Her intense dėsɨrė to help Roy, who was native to the lands of Crystallia gave way to raw emotion. She had to save him, regardless of the cost.

When the waves of white light radiated from her touch in the alleyway, it was all she could do to keep her hands on his wound. The shock of having any gift from the land she had forsaken was enough to bring tears to her eyes.

The moment Roy’s wound healed, Bianca’s view of Crystallia had changed. She had gotten a whole new appreciation for the land and people. Since then, she and Roy had gotten close. Just as she mended the hole in his shoulder, he had mended the hole in her heart.

“Bianca?” Roy’s voice snapped her out of her thoughts.

“Hmm?” She looked up into his concerned eyes. She could only guess how long she had been standing on the balcony looking at the scar the bullet had left.

“Are you okay?” he asked as he ċȧrėssed her cheek with his hand.

“Yeah, just a lot going on up here.” She tapped her temple and giggled slightly.

Taking his hand from her cheek, Roy observed a single wet spot on his finger where he caught a tear from her eye. “Are you sure?”

Bianca took his hand in hers as she smiled. “It’s refreshing sometimes, you know.” She hugged his hand to her ċhėst. “It’s been a long time since someone has shown me as much thought as you have.”

“Why don’t we hit the town?” he pointed to the streets below them. “I can show you just how much thought I’ve put into you today.” His boyish grin returned to his face as he picked Bianca up off the balcony and took to the sky.

“I guess,” Bianca smiled as he cradled her in his arms. She could see the crowded streets below, the smells of the food cooking on the grills. Cuddling her head against the man who swept her off her feet, she gave in. “Since you asked so nicely.”

Jake

The darkness of the void threatening to swallow him, Jake held on as firm as he could to his body. He could feel himself slipping into darkness. His power over his own self was slipping, he could hear Aremesis’s laughter as he pushed Jake further into the nothingness.

‘”It’s been fun Jake,” Aremesis chuckled. “But I think I’ll take this body for myself. You understand, don’t you?” The last remaining strength went out of Jake as he slipped into the void. He could feel his body slipping further away. “Goodbye Jake!” He heard Aremesis shout as he was caught in a vacuum effect. The darkness grabbed at him, pulling him further, crushing him into nothing. His last thought was of his brother, Will.’

“WILL!” Jake shouted into absolute darkness as he felt his head rise from a pilow.

“He’s not here.” A female voice said from a dark corner in the room.

Jake rubbed the sleep from his eyes and sat up from the bed. “Who’s there?” he said to the corner.

He saw movement as a figure stood and walked towards the foot of the bed. As the shape came closer, he didn’t have to guess, as her form fitting tattered black dress could be seen in the distant candlelight.

“Maya.” Jake said silently. He searched for anything else he could say, but came up short.

“That’s all you can say?” Maya pulled up a chair to the side of the bed Jake was seated at. “After all we have been through, you can only say my name?”

“You know that wasn’t me.” Jake said defensively.

“I know,” Maya gave a half smile as she thought back to the Jake in her head as she was possessed by the corrupt dark aura. “But we were both there in the back of our minds for the months we were together. You could say, we are survivors, right?”

Jake took a controlled breath. ‘At least she isn’t mad at me,’ he thought. “I guess you could say that.” He let himself relax slightly.

“What did it feel like for you?” Maya asked. “It felt as if invisible hands held me back in my own body. I felt as if I were gagged within my own consciousness.” Maya’s face went white as she remembered the feeling.

“Much the same.” Jake nodded. ” I had a god riding around in my body for months,” He stared off into nothing as they both sat in the dark. “If it weren’t for Will, I wouldn’t even be here. I wouldn’t be anywhere.” He swallowed the dryness in his throat as he thought of the darkness that had almost consumed him. “If he didn’t grab hold of my consciousness before Aremesis destroyed it, I would be nothing more than an empty vessel.”

“Exactly what I was like when you controlled me.” She said without thinking. Jake looked as if he were about to protest. “I know.” Maya raised her hand to stop him from talking. “It wasn’t you, but doesn’t it help to have a face to place all of this on?” She tried to smile, yet came up short. “It was your face in my dreams.” She got up from the chair and backed up slowly. “It was your face that violated me, that gave me to many others after you were done.” She crossed her arms over her ċhėst as she relived the many horrible events of the past. “It was your face that brought the darkness into me.” She brought her hand out palm up and allowed her aura to show. Instead of a glow that a normal aura gave off, hers seemed to drag the light from the candle, allowing the room to disappear within a blanket of darkness.

Jake knew something was wrong the moment Maya’s aura activated. He may have been possessed, but he remembered the manipulation of her aura that his brother had achieved. He remembered the gold that mixed within the darkness that had been placed within her. Without that change, she would have already died due to the expiration of the temporary aura.

“This isn’t real.” Jake said as he put his hands to his head, trying to shake himself awake. “Wake up, Jake, this isn’t real!” He shouted to himself as he rocked himself in the bed.

“Oh, trust me young Jake.” A familiar voice rang out from the room, replacing Maya’s. “This is real.” Jake turned back to where Maya was only moments ago. Instead of the dark dress, he saw a shredded black cloak. Absolutely nothing showed from the dim light from the window of the room. No facial features could be seen behind the black hood of the cloak. If the Grim Reaper were real, Jake would think that this visage would suit him perfectly.

“We are not done, young one.” Jake prepared himself for the worst. He had been controlled for months by the god of darkness. He knew what Aremesis was capable of. “The fate of this world rests upon you getting stronger.”

Surprised, Jake stayed alert to Aremesis. He knew there would be nothing he could do if the god wished to possess him again. “What the hell?”

Aremesis chuckled as he lightly punched Jake in the ċhėst. “I’m not here to possess you. We have much worse concerns than just a fight with our brothers.” Even though Jake couldn’t see his face, he could tell Aremesis was smirking.

Jake couldn’t fathom what kind of threat would be enough to scare Aremesis to their side. “Why me?”

“You are the literal shadow of your brother, an echo of his power.” Aremesis said. “When he gains a power, you mirror the power as well.”

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“Your brother is training with Ragnos now.” Aremesis moved to Jake and placed his hand upon the young man’s head. “It’s time we follow their example.”